Ted Baker reports brighter high street sales

Fashion group Ted Baker is forecast to be one of several retailers which will be reporting brighter news from the high street this week.

The designer and retailer saw a 10 per cent rise in sales in the first quarter and is expected to show a similar increase over the past three months. Analysts say Ted Baker, which has 33 shops in the UK and Europe, plus another 150 concessions, is heading for £23m profit in the full year.

Other retailers with trading news this week include Tesco which reports half-year results on Tuesday and is forecast to make £1.6bn in the first half of the year despite a tough first few months which saw UK sales almost static at 1.3 per cent. On Thursday, Marks & Spencer's new chief executive, Marc Bolland, will be giving a trading update which is likely to show shoppers are back buying clothes and food again with more confidence.